Nike Nationals

Here's my two cents worth.

First of all, I believe that before anything else our team goal should always be a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. If families didn't have to make plans because of the date of the Nike Meet right after Thanksgivings, I wouldn't be talking about this until after State meet.

The fact of the matter is our girls team is very good. It is also reasonable to assume that we could get even better. [This does not mean that we can just mail in our state championship performance. I think the girls know that from last year.] However, I believe it is reasonable to assume that everyone of the girls has a significant opportunity to better their personal best time. It is hard to compare cross country times, but we match up well with all of the other teams in the southeast. There is not one other team that I can look at and say there is no way we can beat them. We do need our top five runners to compete. (Or we need Alex or Stephanie to move up with the top five. And they are both capable of that.)

I think it would be a great experience. I know one of the parents from Winter Park and their boys team went in 2004 and they said it was great opportunity and not to be missed.

You never know from year to year. Injuries occur. I hate to miss this opportunity for incredible competition against the best of the best from Alabama to Delaware.

Below are results from 2007 Nike Regional meet in Hoover, Alabama. Episcopals girls came it fourth place. Yes, they didn't get to go nationals, but they represented well in our region. Below are their times from state meet at Little Everglades for last year. And then the results from Nike.


1. Episcopal High School
918 6 Kathleen Traylor, 10* 19:00
919 10 Margaret Traylor, 12* 19:19
916 11 Mariah Loop, 10* 19:22
917 13 Laura Steel, 12* 19:27
913 17 Leslie Blackshear, 10* 19:34


GIRLS TEAM RESULTS 5K 2007 Nike Southeastern Regional Crosscountry Meet Director: Steve Bledsole Veterans Park, Hoover,AL Saturday November 24, 2007 School/ Individual AVG Time Total Time Place PTS Finisher Time of Top 5 of Top 5

1. 68 Suwanee XC Club (19:24.7 97:03.1) ===============================================
1 2 Amanda Winslow 18:35.7
2 6 Nicky Akande 19:06.9
3 10 Allyson McGinty 19:28.0
4 15 Briana Crawford 19:37.3
5 35 Sydney Williams 20:15.2
6 ( 45) Alexa Maring 20:43.6
7 ( 54) Katie Gezon 21:21.3

2. 79 Tatnall RC (19:32.0 97:39.6) ===============================================
1 3 Juliet Bottorff 18:40.3
2 13 Molly Parsons 19:36.9
3 14 Kallie Fehr 19:36.9
4 24 Katie Buenaga 19:51.8
5 25 Katie Kershner 19:53.7
6 ( 27) Katie Oldham 19:55.2
7 ( 37) Lauren Blackwell 20:24.1

3. 88 Caution TC (19:31.3 97:36.4) ===============================================
1 1 Madeline Morgan 18:26.2
2 7 Marie Demedicis 19:11.1
3 18 Brigid Carey 19:43.5
4 28 Leslie Boozer 20:03.9
5 34 Catherine Diethelm 20:11.7
6 ( 38) Mary Catherine Farrar 20:25.1
7 ( 41) Reed Ellis 20:31.3

4. 100 Episcopal RC (19:48.0 98:59.7) ===============================================
1 12 Kathleen Traylor 19:35.4
2 16 Laura Steel 19:42.2
3 17 Leslie Blackshear 19:42.8
4 26 Margaret Traylor 19:54.3
5 29 Mariah Loop 20:05.0
6 ( 47) Brooke Hardington 20:52.4
7 ( 59) Katie Ladd 21:41.3


Let's keep this all in prespective because the main goal is a State Championship. But, lets not give up without a fight. Besides wouldn't you like to get another shot at CSN.